Paper-feeding device



Sept. 12, 1939. 5 2,172,913

PAPER FEEDING DEVICE Filed May 18, 1932 INVENTOR C. C. ROSE AT TORNEV i atented Sept. 12, 1 939 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 PAPER-resume DEVICE Claude 0. Rose, Rye, N. Y., assignor to American Telephone and Telegraph Company, a corporation of New York Application May 18, 1932, Serial No. 812,103

18 Claims. (Cl. 197-133) a This invention relates to devices for printing stationery while passing through a typewriter.- on multicopy stationery. More particularly, it In accordance with this invention a modifirelates to improvements in methods for feeding cation is made of the .cylindrical platen usually and aligning such stationery in collaboration employed in typewriters. This modification re- 5 with the printing operations of devices of this sides inthe use of a cylindrical platen having cir- 5 type. cumferential holes near each end.

When sprocket feed .multicopy stationery is' Two endless studded, or toothed, belts, each used in a typewriter the two chief problems, passing around two wheels, are so located as to which are ordinarily encountered, relate to the co-act with the platen. These toothed belts have 0 controlling of misalignment and buckling of the projecting teeth, studs, or feeding pins which individual sheets of stationery. are round and which have conical ends. This Misalignment, which may be either horizontal shape enables the teeth to fit easily into the holes or longitudinal, of the individual sheets, of stain the platen and also to become easily disentionery results in the accompanying misaligngaged therefrom. The wheels on which the belts 5 ment of the marginal perforations in the stationtravel may be either idler pulley wheels or driven ery. When such misalignment occurs, instead ear wheels. These wheels are so located that of the perforations in one sheet coinciding with i the belts are forced to'follow the curved surface those in another sheet, each hole will be partly of the platen. In this way, more than two teeth covered by the 'sheet next to it. Such obstrucof each belt are in contact with the platen-at 11 tion of the holes results in the tearing of the staiv n time th y pr v t misalignment of tionery by the feeding pins contained in the'orthe sheets of stationery. Since the belts conform dinary typewriter. Due to the fact that this snu y to the su fa e of the platen, the stationmisalignment is cumulative, unless some correcy S o a to b tion i made. the tearing will have assumed con- The invention will be better understood from Siderable prop rtions by the time the end of a the following detailed description with reference pack of stationery is reached. Such tearing is, of o h e e mpe y drawing, wherein! course, highly objectionable from an appearance Figure 1 shows a three-dimensional view of a standpoint. It is also undesirable from the view- P f rr d form of e v n i point of the future use of the stationery after Fi 2 sh ws a dr ss-s n l v w o the rso it has'been typed. Subsequent handling is im-- rengement h w in F and peded and is apt to aggravate the torn condition Fig. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of an alterof the sheets. I native arrangement of the invention.

In order .to secure clear carbon copies, it is In F Sprocket feed i opy Stationery necessary that the multicopy sheets be tightly having a i DerfOrfliiiOnS 3 from a P compressed at the printing point of atypewriter. 3 (shown in Fig. 2) through a typewriter similar 35 If the sheets of stationery are loose, the force of to that de cribed in e Pa n ppl n f F- the blow of a type bar upon the stationery is Watson and T. A.. McCann and havin Serial dissipated and the resulting carbon copy will be Number 501,3 2- nly those elements of the faint, blurred, and illegible. When multicopy typewriter ereshow that re pertinent to the stationery is bent around the curved surface of p nt inventi n. To insert ti n ry I in o a cylindrical platen, the individual sheets tend e yp r te stat o e y I is passed from peck to be compressed. However, when the number of 3 hr h re r n r 4 t0 platen It the individual sheets isinczeased, or when thicker i b oted that pl te 5 s circumferential paper is used, it has been ound that such multiholes 8-, 6 near each end. In orderto pass stacopy stationery will be apt 'to buckl or bend outtionery l around platen 5 it will be found conward and away from the platen. Such buckling ,venient to ma ua ly pu r d 1 way f pl t greatly hinders the obtaining of clear carbon 5. when thisis done, stationery I ay b readily copies. grasped, pulled forward, bent around platen 5, An object of this invention i to provide an imfed underspring members 8, 8, over carrier belts proved arrangement for feeding multicopy staunder tearing edge and thus Out O the tionery through a typewriter so as to insure typewriter. Springs H, H insure the return of smooth feeding and the prevention of buckling r,od I to its normal position. The printing point of the sheets of stationery. indicated by type bar I2 is so located that it will Another object of this invention is to provide not interfere with the movements of rodl. an improved arrangement for aligning multicopy when stationery I has been inserted into the idler wheels I5, I5 and I6, I6 located near each end of the platen. It will be noted that rod I are of the proper size to mentwith circumferential holes passes through the centers of wheels I6, I8. The studs, or feeding pins I4, I4, of each belt I3, I3

facilitate easy engagement and disengagement with circumferential holes 8, 8m platen 5. Feeding pins I4, I4 are normally forced into engagement with circumferenltial holes 6, 6 due to the tension of springs Marginal perforations 2, 2 in stationery I are so .spaced that, when stationery I is sandwiched between platen 5 and endless belts I3, I3, feeding pins I4, I4 will pass through marginal perforations 2, 2 into circumferential holes 8, 8. As in an ordinary typewriter, driving power is supplied to platen 5. When platen 5 rotates, it carries with it feeding pins I4, I4 due to their engage- 8,- 6. This causes endless belts I3, I3 to travel around wheels I5, I5 and I6, I6. Stationery I is thus fed through the typewriter by the co-action of feeding pins I4, I 4 and circumferential holes 6, 8.-

Wheels I5, I5 and I8, I6 are so located that belts I3, I3 are forced to follow the curved surface of platen 5. In this way, more than two of feeding pins I4, I4 of each belt are in contact with circumferential holes 6, 8 around each end of platen 5. This is an important factor in preventing misalignment .of the individual sheets of stationery I because stationery I is thus more completely controlled while passing through the typewriter.

Springs II, II are of the proper elasticity to cause rod I to be pulled as far away from type bar I2 as endless belts I3, I3 will permit. This causes belts I 3, I3 to fit snugly against platen 5 thereby forcing stationery I to follow the curved surface of platen 5 thus preventing buckling of the sheets of stationery.

Stationery I may be apt to stick to endless belts I3, I3 due to a possible tight fit between marginal perforations 2, 2 and feeding pins I4, I4. If this should occur stationery I would be apt to be fed around wheels I5, I5 and then down to wheels I6, I8, thereby impeding the process of typing. To obviate such a dimculty it is desirable to employ spring members 8,- 8 which serve to strip stationery I from endless belts I3, I5. Carrier belts 9, [cooperate with spring members 8, 8 and, by means of both, stationery I is fed under tearing edge III and then out of the typewriter. a

This form of the invention is also shown in Fig. 2 which supplies a cross-sectional view of the arrangement shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of an alternative arrangement of the invention. Here platen 5 is an idler and wheels I5, I5- are the driving wheels. Driving power may be supplied to wheels I5, I5 in a manner similar to that in which it is ordinarily supplied to platen '5 or in any; other convenient fashion. In this case, wheels L5, I5 have sprockets II, II which engage with holes I8, I8 a'nd endless belts I3, I3; Holes I8, I8 are so located as not to impair the use of feeding pins I, I. Since wheels I6, I8 are located on rod I which is movable in order to facilitate theinsertion of stationery I into the typewriter, it is desirable that wheels I6, I8 be idler wheels. However, driving power could readily be supplied to them if desired.

It is to be understood that this disclosure should merely be considered as illustrative of the invention. Those skilled in the art may make various changes in the details and arrangements of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The terms of the claims appended hereto are, therefore, not to be restricted to the precise construction herein disclosed, but are intended to cover all changes and modifications employing the principles and features of operation of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for printing on sprocket feed stationery having perforations therein, characterized in this, that said device includes feeding means for feeding stationery through the device, said feeding means comprising an endless studded belt coacting with a cylindrical platen having circumferential holes therein, the studs on the belt being adapted to engage with both the holes in the the stationery.

platen and the perforations in 2. In a device for printing on positively driven sprocket feed stationery having perforations therein, feeding and aligning means comprising a platen having holestherein corresponding to the perforations in the stationery, an endless belt having studs thereon to engage with both the holes in the platen and perforations in the stationery, pulleys over which the belt passes, one of. the pulleys being so mounted as to be movable to and from the platen to move said i belt into and out of engagement therewith.

3. In a" device for printing on positively driven stationery, a platen having circumferential holes therein, an endless studded belt engaging the platen over a portion of its circumference for pressing the stationery against the platen, and

means to positively move the belt at the .same rate as'the surface of the platen during feeding, said means including the studs' on the belt and the holes in the platen.

4. The method of feeding and 'aligningperforated stationery during its passagethrough a device for printing on such stationery,-- said metho comprising operating driving means'for drivingtan endless studded belt along a portion of a cylindrical platen. having circumferential holes therein, sticking the studs on 'the belt into the perforations in the stationery, sticking the studs on the belt into the holes in the platen, and sandwiching the stationery between the belt and the platen.

5. In a device forprinting on stationeryhav- "lng perforations therein for feeding purposes, -said device having a ,cylindrical platen having circumferential holes near each end, an improved positive drive .feeding arrangement including studded endless belts. located near each end of the platen, pulleys located above and below the platen for supporting the belts, the pulleys being located in such a manner that the belts are forced to-follow the curved surface of the platen with the result that more than two of thestuds on each belt are in contact with thecircumferential 'holes in the time. 6. A device for printing upon stationery having perforations therein for feeding purposes, said device having a .sprocketless cylindrical platen havplaten at a given in circumferential holes therein, said device also having an arrangement for aligning the staof travel of the feeding tionery while passing through the device, said aligning arrangement including a studded endless belt passing around 'a portion of the curved surface of the platen, and instrumentalities for causing the belt to always have more than two of its studs in contact with both the circum ferential holes in the platen and the perforations in thestationery.

'7. In a device for printing on sprocket stationery having aligned perforations, feeding and aligning means comprising a cylindrical platen having circumferential holes near each end, toothed means independent of the platen, each tooth of said toothed means being adapted to engage bothwith the perforations in the stationery and with the circumferential holes in the platen, and an instrumentality for simultaneously moving all of said toothed means out of engagement with the holes in the platen.

8. A device for printing upon sprocket feed stationery having perforations therein, said device having feeding and aligning means for feeding and aligning the stationery, said feeding and aligning means including anidler sprocketless cylindrical platen having circumferential holes therein, a positively driven belt, and driving means for effecting the rotation of the platen, said driving means comprising a plurality of studs attached to the belt, each stud being adapted to fit into both the holes in the platen and the perforations in the stationery.

9. A device for printing on sprocket feed stationery having aligned perforations therein, feeding .and aligning means comprising a sprocketless platen having holes in its surface, and two studded belts adapted to cooperate with the platen, each stud of said studded belts being adapted to engage with both a perforation in the stationery and a hole in the platen at the same time, andan instrumentality for removing said studded belts from contact with the platen.

10. The combination with a writing machine having a platen and a writing position past which record material is progressively 'advancedpof a pin type feeding device for positively feeding the record material past the writing positionv in a predetermined path of travel, said pin type feeding device being mounted for bodily movement toward and from the path of travel of the record material into and out of 'interengaging relation therewith. v c

11. The combination with a writing machine having a platen and a writing position past which record .material is progressively advanced, of means for rotating the platen, a pin type feeding device for positively feeding the record material past the writing position in a predetermined path of travel, said pin type feeding device being" mounted for bodily movement toward and from the path of travel of the record material into and out of interengaging relation therewith, and means forzmoving the pins of the pin type feeding device in accordance with the rotation of the platen.

12. The combination with a writing machine having a platen and a writing position past which record material is progressively advanced, of a pin type feeding device mounted outside the platen for positively feeding the record material past the writing position in a predetermined path of travel, guide means for defining the path of travel of the record material, means for moving the feeding pins of said pin type feeding device along a path of travel, and means for varying the'path pins for discontinuing ,record material is progressively advanced, of a pin type feeding device mounted outside the platen for positively feeding the record material past the writing position in a predetermined path oftravel, the record material and the feeding pins of the pin type feeding device normally traveling inintersecting paths of travel, and means for varying the path of travel of one relative to the other for discontinuing the feeding of the record material by said pin type feeding device.

14. The combination with a writing machine having a platen and a writing position past which record material is progressively advanced, of a plurality of pin type feeding means, supporting means independent of the platen for supporting said pin typefeeding means outside the platen and its peripheralextension in a readily accessible and convenient location for facilitating the assembling and maintenance of both the supporting means and the feeding means, said platen having a plurality of cut-out portions for accommodating the feeding pins of said pin type feeding means for enabling said feeding means to act upon the record material.

15. In a printing machine for printing upon record material having holes therein, feeding means for feeding said record material in said printer machine, said feeding means comprising in combination, a revoluble platen having circumferential holes therein, a plurality of discs, a

plurality of feeding pins, and means for enabling said discs to carry saidfeeding pins for fitting the feeding pins into the holes in the record material that is' fed between the discs and the platen, the feeding pins meshing with the holes in the platen.

16. In a printing machine for printing upon record material having holes therein, feeding means for feeding said record material in said printer machine, said feeding means comprising in combination a revoluble platen having circumferential holes therein, a plurality of discs, a plurality of feeding pins, means for enabling said discs feeding pins into the holes in the record material that is fed between the discs and the platen; the feeding pins meshing with the holes in the platen, and an adjustably mounted shaft extendto carry said feeding pins for fitting the' ing parallel with the platen for carrying "at least two of said discs for enabling the feeding pins to be carried away from said platen and out of engagement with the holes in the platen for discontinuing the feeding of the record material by the a feeding means.

17. In a printing machine for printing upon record material having holes therein, feeding means for feeding said record material in said printer machine, said feeding means comprising in combination a revoluble platen having circumferential holes therein, a plurality of discs, a plurality of feeding pins, discs to carry said feeding pins for fitting the feeding pins into the holes in the record material that is fed between the discs and the platen, the feeding pins meshing with the holes in the platen, a shaft extending parallel with the platen for carrying at least two of said discs, and spring tension means. for pulling said shaft with its discs toward the platen for pressing the feeding pins against the record material and the platen.

18. In a printing machine for printing upon means for enabling said i record material having holes therein, feeding means for feeding said record material in said printer machine, said feeding means comprising in combination a revoluble platen having circumi'ei'ential holes therein, a plurality of discs, a pinrality of feeding pins, means for enabling said feeding pins into the holes in the record materm that is fed between the discs and the platen, the feeding pins meshing with the holes in the piaten, and a swinging' carrier for supporting said discs by the to and fro motion of which the feeding pins are shifted into and out of feeding 5 relation! with the record materi discs to carry said feeding pins for fitting the CLAUDE 'c. ROSE. 

